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Be an open minded teacher. While you’re at it, live life to the fullest

Yesterday, fantasy writer, Terry Pratchett passed away. I’ve seen numerous posts, tweets and status updates expressing sadness, condolences, and praises of his work. There were also quite a few posts that included the admission of not knowing who he is. Luckily, my circle of friends is rather supportive of encouraging others to enjoy “new” fandoms. Others groups of people I’ve noticed, not so much. I am rather blessed to have quite a variety of people in my life who have interesting backgrounds and histories. Some overlap in common interests and others couldn’t be more far apart in passions and personalities. My life is shaped by various interests and hobbies including video games, video/audio editing, writing, cosplay, comic books, movies, rescuing dogs… and thanks to those, I feel I have a balanced lifestyle for the most part.

When someone admits they are unaware of the existence of a person, idea, concept, process etc… and they are genuinely curious and/or want to learn about said thing, do not belittle them for it. If someone is now interested in reading Harry Potter for the first time, encourage them. What good is it to say “I can’t believe you haven’t read this yet. You’re not a true fan of the series.”? Why shun that person and diminish any potential love they may have for that particular interest? So what if they haven’t watched an episode of Firefly, never read a Batman comic, or has no idea who Terry Pratchett is. Use that as an opportunity to continue the legacy of those amazing things and people. This is one of the few ways to bond with someone, and it is a great and often rewarding feeling.

I always have a blast when rewatching a movie with someone who has never seen it or knows nothing of the plot and characters. Hell, I have a blast rewatching a movie with someone who can quote the whole damn movie with me. Share the love. The journey is worth revisting. Who knows? That little adventure may open your eyes to things you’ve never seen or considered before, and it may even lead to experiences you’ve just never had. It won’t hurt to be open minded while you’re “teaching the noob the ropes.”

The bottom line is, we won’t live long enough to watch, read, create, visit, meet, and experience everything we want. While that is a hard truth, why let it deter you from living life fully? What’s stopping you from starting now? Want to learn how to cook that perfect meal? Bust open a cook book or find a YouTube tutorial. Want to experience the craziness of SDCC? Book those tickets next year. Want to read some Terry Pratchett? Get off your ass and read some damn Terry Pratchett. Get those achievement points. And if someone comes to you asking for help on how to start accomplish these goals, mentor up. Equip that person with the foundation they need, and see what can blossom from their adventure.

“I have vowed that rather than let Alzheimer’s take me, I would take it,” he said. “I would live my life as ever to the full and die, before the disease mounted its last attack, in my own home, in a chair on the lawn, with a brandy in my hand to wash down whatever modern version of the Brompton Cocktail some helpful medic could supply. And with Thomas Tallis on my iPod, I would shake hands with death.” – Terry Pratchett

This is "And Now Just Listen" featuring Avery, Nick, Justin and Lewes. We talk about games, tech, movies, and get sidetracked a lot. Interested in contributing? Email inquiries to andnowjustlisten@gmail.com.